"Transfer Adhesive" as used herein is defined as an adhesive which is originally carried by a liner or backing and which is subsequently separated from the liner and adhered to a substrate.
The art is replete with hand-held transfer adhesive dispensers which dispense an indefinite length of transfer adhesive. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,718,971 and 4,891,090 are examples of such indefinite length dispensers.
Indefinite length transfer adhesive dispensers have a variety of uses. For example, such dispensers may be used to place adhesive on a page in a scrapbook or photo album so that a photograph or other memorabilia may be adhered to the page.
Generally, indefinite length transfer adhesive dispensers comprise a supply reel and tape roller, and a trigger. To operate the dispenser, the trigger is actuated and the dispenser is pressed against a substrate and then drawn across the substrate. Trigger operated dispensers are difficult to use for some operators as a number of coordinated movements are necessary to apply the adhesive to the substrate.
In some uses of transfer adhesive, such as adhering a photo or other memorabilia to a page in a scrapbook or photo album, it is desirable to use only a relatively small "spot" or definite length of adhesive. With indefinite length adhesive dispensers, some users find it difficult to judge the amount of adhesive being applied to a surface and as a result may waste some of the adhesive, or may require repeated applications of the adhesive to the substrate.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,765,992 and 4,255,218 describe methods and apparatus for applying an adhesive strip to an envelope. Such mechanisms are complex mechanisms and are large relative to a hand held dispenser.